Hopelessly obsessed
by like a falling star
Summary: it's a sweet, sappy E+T fanfic... both like each other, both are in denial, their friends(S+S) come into the picture and help them along the way. chapter 4 is up!
1. >introduction

"And so, I want you to go back home and complete pages 80 through 120 of your history workbook." Shinata-sensei demanded unreasonably. "By tomorrow."  
  
The entire class groaned in unison, everyone except Hiiragizawa Eriol. He wasn't paying attention at all. He was too busy staring at the side profile of Daidouji Tomoyo to notice anything. Her thick, dark lashes. The gentle, aquiline curve of her aristocratic nose. The slight cock of her head when she was diligently copying down what the sensei had said, printing in small, neat and precise handwriting.  
  
Suddenly Tomoyo looked up from her book, and cast him a surreptitious glance. Seeing Eriol stare back at her with a half-shocked, half-bemused expression, Tomoyo quickly turned back, flustered, and hastily pretended to scribble down a few lines. Her skin was tinged red all the way from her neck up to her ears. Oh gosh, I can't believe he caught me looking at him!  
  
Eriol wanted to die of embarrassment. The girl he liked just caught him staring at her. Staring admiringly at her. Gaping at her. His mouth wide open. Like a goldfish or something. Could he have been anymore idiotic? Nope, he decided. Gaping at a goddess who probably didn't even know you were alive about did it for idiotic.  
  
Just then, the bell rang. Everyone stood up and began packing their things. Sakura, looking angry and particularly murderous, dragged Li-kun off, muttering incoherently about "thickheaded guys" and "dense people". Tomoyo heard footsteps approaching her. Not again, she groaned inwardly. It feeds my ego, but I hate rejecting guys!  
  
Today it was Jacques, the exchange student from France. She had been his tour guide when he'd just came to Tomoeda. "Miss Tomoyo..." he faltered a little. "Would you do me the honour of accompanying me on a date this Saturday night?" he inquired politely. He had a hopeful look on his face. Not to be mean, but Tomoyo decided that he reminded her of one of her mother's friend's pomeranians. He had that eager, yapping kind of look.  
  
He was a nice, bright boy, but she only saw him as a friend. Nothing more, nothing less. Tomoyo decided that he deserved to be let down truthfully. She gave him a warm -but not encouraging- smile. "I'm sorry, Jacques, but to be honest I'm not interested in you that way. Could we remain as friends?"  
  
Jacques' smile faded, but he gave Tomoyo a small nod before rushing out of the room.  
  
Tomoyo heard a soft chuckle behind her, followed by a rich and deep, yet somewhat teasing voice. "Getting tired of making up excuses?"  
  
Tomoyo looked up into a pair of heartbreakingly beautiful blue eyes and the smiling face of Eriol aka the reason she was still dateless. Tomoyo grinned. "I was running out of choir practices and Student Council meetings and figure-skating lessons, and I didn't think he'd believe me if I said I had chores to perform that night."  
  
Eriol's eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. "True." He waited patiently as his object of admiration slid her history textbook into her suede book bag and zipped it up. "But you could've told him that you have another date that night." They walked out of school together, completely oblivious to the suggestive gazes that were cast their way.  
  
Tomoyo looked at him in amusement. "Oh? I have a date that night? And with whom, shall I ask?"  
  
Eriol held up two tickets. "I've got 2 complimentary tickets to the Mid-Autumn Festival this Saturday night. Would you like to come?" Eriol paused. "As friends, of course. " he added as an afterthought. Of course, Tomoyo would never agree if she thought that it was a date.  
  
Tomoyo pounced on him. "I'd LOVE to! I absolutely ADORE festivals!" she gushed. "THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! Oh, I love you so much!" her voice bubbled with excitement.  
  
Eriol was caught completely off-guard. He blushed to the tips of his hair, an uncommon occurrence. Of course, she's only saying that because she I got her tickets to the festival. She doesn't really love me. At least, not in that way. Eriol tried not to get his hopes up. He smiled humbly. "Really, it's nothing."  
  
Tomoyo beamed up at him. "How can you say that!?!"  
  
Eriol smiled fondly down at her. "I'm glad you like festivals."  
  
Tomoyo gave him a brief hug. "I really appreciate this, you know. You could've taken anyone else, but you asked me."  
  
Eriol's insides shrunk at the close contact. Tomoyo... if only you knew that I would do anything for you... 


	2. ::the plan::

Kinomoto Sakura was irritated. No, it was more than just that. She was fuming. In fact, she was hopping mad.  
  
"And! He was STARING at her! And! All she did was LOOK at him! And they both LOOKED AWAY! BLUSHING! And EMBARRASSED! When it's so OBVIOUSLY OBVIOUS that they LIKE EACH OTHER! NO! They want each other! They LUST for each other! Why, just the other day I was watching Tomoyo-chan's dream and I saw Eriol in nothing but--" Sakura blushed, and decided to protect her bestfriend and friend's dignity. "But that's NOT THE POINT!" she paused in the middle of her rant to glance at Syaoran. "Are you listening?"  
  
Her extremely bishounen boyfriend knew better than to upset an already visibly upset Sakura. It was known not to be a very smart thing to do. He nodded painfully, pretending to be interested in her rant about her friends' (virtually non-existent) love lives. "Of course."  
  
"And it's so PERFECT because Tomoyo-chan is my BESTFRIEND and Eriol is our FRIEND!" Sakura huffed. Syaoran opened his mouth like he wanted to argue with that last statement, but Sakura shot him a death glare and said in a firm voice, "Eriol is our FRIEND!" and he promptly kept his mouth shut.  
  
"And I'm so WORRIED, cos Tomoyo-chan is only SIXTEEN, and she should be DATING, but she hasn't gone on a SINGLE date since FOREVER even though she gets asked out by FIFTEEN different guys a DAY because the only guys she likes is just too THICKHEADED to ask her out because he thinks she will REJECT him--" at this point Sakura rolled her eyes. "Like Tomoyo-chan will ever tell Eriol-kun 'No' even if he asks her to wipe his shoes or something. And this might go on till she's SEVENTY!! And I'll never get to be her maid-of-honour because she'll never get married!" The look on Sakura's face was one of pure horror.  
  
Syaoran bit back a chuckle. Sakura could be a little melodramatic at times. "Don't worry. Hiiragizawa will break soon, and I bet he'll ask Tomoyo out in no time at all."  
  
"NO TIME!?!" Sakura fumed. "I can't wait for no time to come! My bestfriend's FUTURE is at stake here! We gotta do something, Syaoran-kun, and we gotta start soon." Her eyes had a faraway but determined look. It also, for some reason, had an evil glint, pretty uncharacteristic of genki, innocent Sakura. "I've got a plan, Syao-kun, to matchmake Tomoyo-chan and Eriol-kun, and you're gonna help. We start... TODAY." 


	3. -Secret Admirer-

Darkness had descended upon Tomoeda. The birds had long since stopped their merry chirping, and the crickets had already claimed the night with their calls (what kind of noise do crickets make anyway?).  
  
Tomoyo was getting ready for bed. Tomoyo, ever the over-achiever, had just completed her final revision for the major Geography test she would be sitting for the next day. She changed out of her purple turtleneck and indigo bootcut jeans into an old sweatshirt and lightweight cotton pants that she used as pyjamas. She ran a brush through her long, dark curls and fantasized about her friendly "date" with Eriol.  
  
This was her heart speaking. Maybe he'll hold you in his arms, and tell you how beautiful you look, and you'll watch the stars together, each one unique in its own way and shining with hope that he will say those fateful words. And maybe he will. Just three simple words, but felt with tremendous meaning, enough to make her fall deeper and deeper... I love you.  
  
Oh, please. Her mind snapped back. He already made it clear that you are going as friends, not as dates. It's plain for everyone to see that the only thing he feels for you is friendship, if anything at all. Surely you're not desperate enough to read into it and think of it as something more?  
  
Tomoyo bit her lip. "I don't know." She said aloud, to no one in particular.  
  
Suddenly there was a knock. Tomoyo froze, and looked towards the door. There was the knock again. Quick, insistent raps on cool glass. It seemed to be coming from her balcony. Who would visit her at such an insanely late hour? Why didn't he or she just come in through the front door? And who was capable of getting to her balcony without being caught by her security guards? Must be someone dangerous.  
  
Tomoyo grabbed her tennis racket from her closet and approached the balcony with caution. The knocking stopped abruptly. Tomoyo flung open the curtains to reveal... no one. A small wicker basket, filled to the brim with assorted candies and chocolate wrapped in colourful foil, lay on the floor. A pink ribbon was tied to the handle of the basket. Hmm. Seems harmless enough. Tomoyo commented to herself. But even the most harmless the things were often subtly dangerous, and she was not one to easily let her guard down.  
  
Gripping the tennis racket still harder, Tomoyo slowly slid open the sliding doors that led to her balcony and lifted up the basket. Underneath the basket, on the floor, was a heart-shaped piece of paper, pink to match the ribbon. Tomoyo, still looking around to make sure that no one would suddenly attack at any moment, bent down and gingerly picked up the note. Then she slipped back into her own room. Setting the basket at the foot of her bed, she looked at the note. It was a letter-cum-poem.  
  
My dearest Tomoyo,  
  
Your eyes are like the stars,  
  
Twinkling brightly in the darkness.  
  
Your smile is like the sunshine,  
  
Lighting up my life.  
  
Your voice is like an angel,  
  
Pure and gentle and sweet.  
  
Tell me:  
  
Did it hurt  
  
When you fell down from heaven?  
  
Love, your Secret Admirer  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Next day...  
  
When Eriol got to school, there was a commotion at his locker. Subei-san, one of his most avid admirers, was glaring murderously at his locker, wildly grabbing at the air, all the while being held back by a few of her stronger friends. "No!!! Let me get at whoever she is! She cannot steal Eriol away from me! I liked him first!!!!" she screamed, furious that she had another contender for Eriol's affections, even though he was never "hers" in the first place. He was wildly popular with the girls and seemed to be getting confession notes everyday, so commotions like these were common.  
  
Eriol found six pink, heart-shaped helium balloons taped to his locker. He wondered who could have sent it. Curious, he untaped the balloons, ignoring Subei-san's cries of "Bitch!!!". One of the balloons contained a note in pink, loopy handwriting. It said:  
  
Dear Eriol,   
  
You are really wonderful. You are really smart and nice and talented. I love to hear you play the piano because you are really good at it, as you are at everything else. I really, really, really like you.  
  
From your Secret Admirer  
  
Eriol stared at the note. The handwriting seemed familiar, somehow. But the one thing he realised was that his Secret Admirer was definitely not Tomoyo. Firstly, Tomoyo's handwriting was neat and precise, not loopy. And she certainly did not own any pink, sparkly pens. And the note seemed... amatuerish, somehow. Hmm. He would have to check it out.  
  
"How many 'reallys' did you count?" A voice said from behind Eriol. He would recognise that voice anywhere.  
  
"Hey, Tomoyo. By the way, I think I counted five." Eriol smiled at her.  
  
"Well, there are exactly six 'reallys'." Tomoyo pointed out. "And this is strange. Look at what I received yesterday." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the note from her Secret Admirer.  
  
Eriol scanned its contents. Immediately his face scrunched up into a frown. Tomoyo had tons of admirers, he took that as a fact, but an extra admirer meant that he had another contender for Tomoyo's precious heart.  
  
"What is it?" Tomoyo asked, concerned.  
  
Eriol gave a bitter laugh. "Oh, nothing much. I just think it's really... stupid of the guy to send you this note."  
  
Tomoyo quirked an eyebrow. "Really? Why? I think it's kind of sweet. And whoever he is sent a whole basket of candy, too. He must have put in a lot of effort." My Secret Admirer definitely isn't Eriol, then. He's seems against the idea of a Secret Admirer, anyway. Another guy go down the drain...  
  
Eriol forced a smile. "Really. But he must know that you don't really go out with your admirers, right?"  
  
Tomoyo thought for a while. "That's true, but if I find out that he's someone I like I'll go out with him." Like if I find out that that someone is you, but that is nearly impossible, since it's obvious you don't like me that way. Tomoyo thought.  
  
Eriol nearly choked. "You like someone?"  
  
Tomoyo grinned at him. "Of course. We're in high school, dear. It's permitted." If only you know that it's you.  
  
Eriol felt his insides shrivel up. Tomoyo liked someone. Of course. How could he stupidly rule out that possibility? He gulped. "Is it anyone I know?" Whether he knew the person or not, that person was going to hell.  
  
Tomoyo shrugged. "You could say that."  
  
"Who is it?" Eriol pressed.  
  
"I'm not telling you anything." Tomoyo said. "I'll let you guess, but I've got to go now. Got a Geography test to prepare for. Toodles!"  
  
"Good luck with the guy!" Eriol called after her. His throat felt dry. Gosh, Tomoyo, how could I have lost you to someone else?  
  
"Thanks," Tomoyo replied over her shoulder. He said good luck. He wants me to get together with the other guy. In other words, he totally does not like me that way. Oh, Eriol...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


	4. who's the Secret Admirer?

Next day...  
  
Sakura and Tomoyo were on their way to school.  
  
"So, who do you think your Secret Admirer is?" Sakura asked in a conspiratory voice, glancing surreptitiously at Tomoyo for her reaction.  
  
Tomoyo shrugged, unconcerned. All she knew was that he wasn't Eriol, and that's all she cared about. "I don't know. Whoever it is must have been pretty smart to be able to get past my security guards." She commented.  
  
Sakura smiled uneasily. "Yeah, he must be. I think it's Eriol-kun."  
  
The colour rose to Tomoyo's cheeks, and she nearly choked on the sweet she was sucking on. "W-what!?! What makes you say that!?"  
  
Sakura grinned cheekily and held up a finger to state the first point. "Well, first he's half of Clow Reed. So it would be totally easy for him to get past your security guards to you balcony, right?" All it took was the illusion card and the fly card. Sakura thought.  
  
Tomoyo thought for awhile, then nodded uncertainly. "Well-- yeah. But that doesn't mean--"  
  
Sakura held up another finger. That familiar action reminded Tomoyo of Yamazaki. "And he's certainly rich enough to send you that basket. He has tons of money!"  
  
Tomoyo's expression wavered. "Why, yes, but--"  
  
"And your Secret Admirer must know you well enough to know that you absolutely adore candy and chocolate. And Eriol knows you like the back of his hand!" Sakura added gleefully.  
  
Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "Everyone loves candy and chocolate, Sakura, it's only natural that--"  
  
"Aah. But not everyone's generous enough to spend so much on someone they admire. I heard that those valentine baskets cost up to over a hundred bucks!" Which you are gonna pay Syaoran and I back after you get together with Eriol. Sakura had a challenging glint in her eyes. "And don't you agree that Eriol is generous and kind?"  
  
"Yes! OF COURSE!" Tomoyo said agreeably. That's why I like - no, love - him so much. And also because he's the only one who truly understands how I feel, without me telling him, and he can brighten my day with just one smile...  
  
Sakura smiled. "And don't you agree that he's nice?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"And sweet?"  
  
"Definitely!"  
  
"And caring?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
"And fun to be with?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"And you like him?"  
  
"YEAH! I mean, NO, I mean... Kinomoto Sakura, that was a cheap trick!" Tomoyo's face and neck were now varying shades of red and pink, and she looked exasperated with herself. "I like Eriol... as a FRIEND!"  
  
"I see." Sakura observed mildly. "That's too bad, you know, because he really likes you."  
  
Tomoyo brightened, and her face registered joy. "REALLY? I mean, NO HE DOES NOT!"  
  
After hearing Sakura's silence, Tomoyo meekly looked at her friend. Her curiosity got the better of her. "Who said so?"  
  
"Duh, he likes you. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, knows that. I can tell by the way he looks at you." Sakura looked disgusted for a moment. "He looks like some pathetic, lovesick puppy." (Author: Sakura isn't being mean here, she's still cute and nice and genki, she's just trying to get Tomoyo to stand up for Eriol!!)  
  
"NO WAY! ERIOL IS GOOD-LOOKING!" Tomoyo shouted, then realised what she'd just said. "Uh-- oops."  
  
Sakura elbowed her in the ribs. "What did you say?"  
  
Tomoyo blushed, and mumbled, "I said.. he's good-looking. I meant that in a completely physical way. SO. I don't like him and he doesn't like me and END OF STORY. CASE CLOSED." She added firmly.  
  
"Okkkkaaaaayy."  
  
"Besides, Eriol doesn't write that kind of poetry." Tomoyo stated.  
  
Sakura stopped short. "He doesn't? How do you know?"  
  
"Well, he--" Tomoyo blushed. "He let me read some of the stuff he wrote the other day and it was really good. The poems are really deep and full of meaning and, well, no offence, but my Secret Admirer's poetry sounds a little... ridiculous in comparison with Eriol's."  
  
Inwardly Sakura rolled her eyes. To Tomoyo, every single thing done by Eriol was practically God-made. But... "Really? I think it sounded quite good." Sakura defended her first attempt at romantic poetry.  
  
They reached Tomoyo's locker to find three deep-red, long-stemmed roses attached to Tomoyo's locker. There was a note taped to it. It said:  
  
My dearest Tomoyo,   
  
Here's one rose for each day till I reveal myself to you.   
  
Love, Your Secret Admirer.  
  
Tomoyo took down the roses and cradled them in her hands. She had to admit, this Secret Admirer business was a bit much, but it made her feel loved, even if it wasn't from the one boy who mattered.  
  
Sakura giggled. "Aww. That's so sweet." Syaoran had come extra early to school that day just to tape the roses and the note to Tomoyo's locker so that no one would see him.  
  
Tomoyo smiled at her. "Isn't it? This guy seems really nice." She fingered the note. "Three days.." she murmured. "He'll reveal himself on Saturday, then." Tomoyo was deep in thought. "On Saturday I'll be at the Mid-Autumn Festival with Eriol-kun..."  
  
Sakura raised her eyebrows. "As his date?"  
  
Tomoyo blushed prettily. "Of course not! We're going as friends..."  
  
Sakura nodded slightly as she made a mental note. Eriol, Tomoyo, Mid-Autumn Festival. Right. Things were going to get very interesting...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


	5. [secrets discovered]

Author's Notes: Just to let you know, the stuff Eriol and Tomoyo have been receiving from their 'Secret Admirers' are actually from Syaoran and Sakura. It's all part of their plan to get them together.  
  
Hopelessly obsessed By like a falling star  
  
"Really, this is getting ridiculous." Tomoyo murmured, shutting her locker.  
  
"What is getting ridiculous?" Eriol asked, appearing beside her as they walked together to their next class, Advanced Chemistry. He pulled a candy bar out his backpack. It was given to him by his Secret Admirer.  
  
"I got a ticket from my Secret Admirer." Tomoyo explained, stuffing a letter and the ticket into a small blue envelope. "To tonight's X-factor concert."  
  
Eriol quirked an eyebrow as he unwrapped the candy bar. "X-factor? That's strange. I also got a ticket from my Secret Admirer. Really good seats, too. Fifth row from the stage, V-15, I think."  
  
Tomoyo's eyes widened. "No kidding! Mine is V-16."  
  
"What a coincidence," Eriol murmured, in a voice that meant he did not really think so.  
  
Tomoyo folded the envelope neatly in half before placing it into her tote bag. "You know," she began carefully. "I wasn't really planning on going, but since you got a ticket."  
  
Eriol stopped and looked into her eyes. "Why don't we go together? We can meet for dinner, then proceed to the concert."  
  
Tomoyo tilted her head to one side, as if considering. There was really nothing to be considered, actually. As long as Eriol asked, she would go. "Sure," she replied, a half-smile tingeing her face.  
  
Eriol smiled. "I'll pick you up at seven."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Something's not right." Tomoyo said as she placed her purse on the table and sat down.  
  
Eriol nodded. "I agree."  
  
Tomoyo looked up at him, her eyebrows arched questioningly. "You don't even know what I'm talking about."  
  
Eriol closed his menu and looked at her. "You're talking about the fact that we both got X-factor tickets from unidentified people, and the seats happen to be right next to each other. Am I right?"  
  
Tomoyo gave him an appraising look. "You're smart." She said, before turning back to her menu. Roasted half-chicken, Grilled Cajun fillet, Seafood pasta.  
  
Eriol tried not to stare at Tomoyo. Tonight when he'd seen her he'd nearly had a nosebleed. She was dressed in a simple white, spaghetti-strapped silk dress which fell to her knees, and white sandals which criss-crossed up her ankles. She was a perfect angel. He continued. "And the fact that the both of us happened to get Secret Admirers at exactly the same time."  
  
This time, Tomoyo looked up. "Right. Don't you find it in the least bit uncanny? I mean, what are the odds?"  
  
Eriol shrugged slightly. "Any idea who your Secret Admirer is?"  
  
Tomoyo kept quiet for a moment. I was hoping that it was you. Tomoyo thought. "Someone really, really good at gymnastics." She said finally. "Or someone with magic."  
  
Eriol pondered for awhile. "What makes you think that it's someone with magic? Or someone who's good in gym?"  
  
"I think I'll have the Grilled Cajun Fillet, please." Tomoyo said, changing the subject completely. "What are you getting?"  
  
Eriol glanced down at his menu. "The - uh - Californian Ham Roll. Back to the subject. What makes you think so?"  
  
Tomoyo took a sip of iced water. "The first letter-it came with a basket, delivered straight to my balcony."  
  
"Your balcony?"  
  
"The balcony that's just outside my room. My house is very heavily guarded. Not just anyone would have been able to get to my balcony like that. Not even a gymnast."  
  
"Magic." Eriol murmured. "That's a possibility. well, it certainly isn't me."  
  
What a pity, Tomoyo thought sadly.  
  
"From what I've sensed, the only magic-users around Tomoeda in recent years are those of Clow magic. In other words, the possibilities have been narrowed down to Yue, Kero, Ruby Moon, Spinel Sun, Sakura and Syaoran."  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
Tomoyo abruptly set down her glass, staring uncomfortably at Eriol. "Not to make any assumptions," she began hastily. "But I have this weird feeling."  
  
Eriol bit his lip. "It's them, isn't it?"  
  
"That's what I'm thinking." Tomoyo said. "But. why? . how?" she shook her head.  
  
Light dawned in their eyes at the exact same moment.  
  
"They're setting us up." Eriol said.  
  
"They want us to think that we have Secret Admirers." Tomoyo continued.  
  
"And when we finally meet, we're going to think it's each other." Eriol concluded.  
  
"Sneaky." Tomoyo said.  
  
Eriol nodded in agreement. "Exactly the kind of thing I might've thought of."  
  
"With more sophistication, of course." Tomoyo added.  
  
"It's a pity we're one step ahead of them." Eriol said, wheels turning inside his head. "Why don't we entertain them a little?"  
  
Tomoyo glanced up at him, her signature I'm-so-innocent-it-hurts look plastered on her face. "I'm all for it. What do you propose?"  
  
"Why don't we pretend to be a couple before they expect us to be one? You know- say that we're no longer interested in meeting our 'Secret Admirers'."  
  
Tomoyo nodded in understanding. "Of course. And wait and see how long it is before they crack and tell us the truth." She grinned. "It's a plan. I like it."  
  
Eriol's heart thumped furiously. I'm going to be her boyfriend! I'm actually going to get the chance to hold her hand! [A.N.: I know it sounds lame but. it's a story, isn't it?] "So do I, Tomoyo-chan. So do I." Eriol smiled as he took her hand.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


End file.
